Mighty Ducks 1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer : I own nothin'  
  
Author's Note : This is going to be a short fic, with Adam's and Julie's views on JV, Varsity, the Prank War – and each other.  
  
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Adam's POV  
  
I was happy when I made Varsity. For one moment I thought, 'hey, a challenge, it'll be good.' I soon came to realise just how wrong I was.  
  
I knew from the instant I walked into the locker room for my first practice that I didn't belong there. They were no team. Whilst the Ducks ragged on each other constantly it was all good-natured – with Varsity, it was pure cruelty. Cole was nasty, the kind of person who pulled spiders' legs off as a kid. Riley was spiteful, Scooter was OK but seemed to enjoy making light of other people's misfortune. They may have hung out together at school, but only to give them the power of being a clique. They weren't real friends. There was no loyalty or respect between them.  
  
The Duck's motto was always "Ducks fly together". I guess that doesn't apply to people who are forced onto a different team. I wasn't a Duck anymore – but then they weren't either. We were all Warriors. The motto still seemed to apply, as we were Ducks in spirit – but not to me. There were no displays of blatant dislike, but everything changed. Combined pressure from both sides forced me away from the Ducks and towards Varsity.  
  
Then the Prank War started. I was caught in the middle. The first one, where Varsity dumped the JV clothes in the showers, I wasn't a part of. I wasn't a part of any of it. A couple of them crept off towards the end of the game – Riley ignored me when I asked where they were going. He was already pissed at me, for cheering JV. That was another thing that got to me – we were all Warriors, they were a team playing for our school, yet Varsity wouldn't support them.  
  
After that, it got ugly. Retaliation came in the form of the Ducks attacking our locker room with liquid nitrogen. It was actually quite a good prank, even if my stuff did seem to have been treated the worst. That hurt me – I used to be one of them, but they turned on me over something that was out of my control. Then I found something on the floor below my part of the bench, and knew who the culprit was. And that person was the one person I could truly forgive.  
  
That went on the second weekend of the semester. The following Monday I was given a new timetable. I'd been switched into a higher Algebra class, so all my periods were changed around. I hated changing classes after the start of school, as everyone already had their seats and their routine. However, it turned out good for me.  
  
When I walked into first period Bio, there was only one free seat in the entire room. It was the seat next to Julie Gaffney.  
  
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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer : I don't own the Ducks. I tried to steal them, but they wouldn't let me. Meanies.  
  
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Julie's POV  
  
I hated what Orien did to the team. I loved him for making me starting goalie, but he pulled us apart. People thought I didn't feel it as bad because I wasn't an original Duck, but I did.  
  
God I felt it.  
  
When hurt me most was him taking Banks away. I guess he was trying to do a good thing, and give him a chance, a chance to improve himself. It's really the Ducks I should be angry at – they were the ones who pushed him out. OK, WE were. I'm a Duck too. I got caught up in it at first, I admit. Much as I regret it now I felt a malicious little thrill at attacking his stuff the worst. In retrospect, maybe it was less anger at him being a Varsity player than anger for leaving me.  
  
It all changed that Monday morning when he walked into my class and sat down next to me.  
  
"Julie," he greeted me.  
  
"Banks." I gave him a curt nod and he looked surprised. I'd always called him Adam. Call it Duck loyalty, call it hurt, call it whatever you like. I just couldn't afford myself the familiarity.  
  
We sat in silence until the end of the class. As I gathered my books he laid a hand on my arm to stop me leaving.  
  
"Nice prank, Jules. The liquid nitrogen. Very imaginative.  
  
"Nothing to do with me," I defended myself, though my cheeks were hotting up. Damn my pale skin and tendency to blush when I lied.  
  
"C'mon Jules, you're an awful liar."  
  
"Stop it Banks. You know it was JV."  
  
"So quit defending yourself."  
  
"It was the Ducks, that doesn't mean it was me personally."  
  
"Tip for you Jules." He leant closer and I looked down quickly, not allowing myself to be hypnotized by those eyes, to see him extending a clenched fist. "Next time you pull a prank, make sure the catch on your jewellery isn't loose." He uncurled his fingers, and lying on his palm was a silver bracelet with a tiny hockey stick charm hanging from it. I felt my cheeks explode with heat. I wanted the floor to swallow me up. Of course he knew it was mine – he'd bought it for me, when it was my birthday in LA – and I'd only worn the damn thing every day since then.  
  
I snatched it back from him and dropped it in my pocket, then stalked past him to leave.  
  
"Stay out of it Jules." The seriousness of his tone made me stop and look round. "If Cole or Riley had found that, and found out it was yours, you'd be screwed. Your underwear would probably be hanging from the flagpole right now."  
  
"Great idea for a prank, cheers Banks." He didn't crack a smile.  
  
"I'm serious Jules. They're cruel. They see you and Connie as easy targets. I don't want you getting hurt."  
  
I didn't allow myself to ponder whether he meant me and Connie, or just me.  
  
"I can look after myself."  
  
"Please, Julie, I –"  
  
He had his hand on mine and I was tingling.  
  
"Julie." I looked round. Charlie was standing in the doorway, and he didn't look happy.  
  
"I'll be fine." I couldn't weaken. I couldn't let him see my soft side. I walked out.  
  
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We talked over the next few classes. Sure it wasn't the same, but in some ways it was better. It was strange being just the two of us, but uncomfortable silences gradually gave way to laughter-filled hours. The Ducks didn't know, they couldn't know. We didn't talk out of class. I was weak - I didn't want them to turn on me. But Adam didn't want me to let on either; he didn't want me to be pushed out.  
  
I trusted him. That's why I believed him when he said the whole dinner deal was "cool". That's why I encouraged the Ducks to go. That's why it hurt so much when it was just a prank.  
  
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Authors Note : Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!  
  
I'm not sure about it now, it's turned out why different to what I planned, and I'm not sure I like it. It's a completely different style to what I normally write, so it's hard. It was meant to be fluffy and sweetly romantic, now it's just...strange! But if people like it I'll keep going. It's only going to be 5 chapters anyway. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer : I own nothing. The mighty Stephen Brill and Disney own the Ducks.  
  
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Adam's POV  
  
I couldn't believe it when it was all a prank. Varsity told me it was for real, a real tradition. Like the idiot I am I believed them. I think it was Cole that swung it for me – he played along, and was actually convincing. I thought he was so stupid he'd never have been able to pull it off.  
  
I didn't find out until the night. I'd never have encouraged the Ducks to come if I'd known. Of course, they wouldn't believe that. Then again, why should they? I overheard Cole and Riley laughing about it in the men's room. By then it was too late.  
  
If I'm being honest, it was almost worth it, almost worth all the hatred, just to see Julie. Man she looked beautiful. Her hair looked like woven gold in the candlelight, it was amazing. All I wanted was to hold her and stroke her hair and kiss her. But I couldn't.  
  
I was terrified walking into Bio the following Monday. For a petite, kindly girl Julie can be damn scary. After what she did to the Iceland guys I never under-estimated her again. She looked at me when I first walked in, then ignored me. I didn't blame her, I'd expected her to be angry – but that one glance displayed another emotion. Hurt. And that near on killed me; it broke my heart that I'd hurt her.  
  
"I'm sorry Jules," I managed eventually. "I had no idea." She snorted.  
  
"I bet you didn't."  
  
"Please believe me." She looked at me, and I guess my eyes must be expressive as my mom always said, because she did. She believed.  
  
"OK." She turned back to her textbook. A simple "OK" and it was fine. Except she wasn't going to let me off that easy. "I had to spend three hours up to my elbows in dirty dishwater with the freaking Cowboy, thanks to you. You're going to be paying me back for a very long time." I grinned. Now that was something I could do. We slipped back into silence.  
  
"So what's the plan?" I needed something to break it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What are you going to do for revenge?" She looked at me like I was crazy. I didn't blame her. We sank back into silence. The bell rang. I started to leave.  
  
"Go home this weekend." Her sweet voice sounded again. It was my turn to stop and turn round.  
  
"What?"  
  
"This weekend. Don't stay in the dorms. Go home."  
  
"But I –"  
  
"Just do it Banks." I understood. I smiled gratefully. I did as she said.  
  
Thanks to her, I managed to escape getting ants in my pants.  
  
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Author's Note : Thanks for all the encouragement guys! Cookies for all of you! 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer : Own nothing, blah blah blah  
  
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Julie's POV  
  
I don't know what made me do it. Charlie would kill me if he found out. All I knew was that I wanted to protect him. No matter what he'd done, I didn't want him involved.  
  
I still hated Varsity, and I still wanted revenge on them. With Adam out the way I could enjoy it. Seeing the idiots hopping out their rooms, scratching and itching like they had fleas was one of the funniest moments of my life.  
  
He showed up at the unofficial JV-Varsity game though. I wasn't surprised. He grabbed me just before we hit the ice, and thanked me for my warning. He said Riley had called him, told him he had to be there. I was just telling him he'd better not score on me when Riley called him away. I was starting to hate that – we weren't allowed to talk outside of Bio.  
  
With Goldberg in nets I could concentrate on the game. I could tell it was going to erupt – it was a fight waiting to happen. As soon as Adam started hacking at Charlie, trying to prevent him getting his shot off, I knew something was going to happen. Adam was perfectly legal but Charlie hauled him down, and that was it.  
  
As soon as I reached the fighting players I tried to pull Adam away from Charlie. They were best friends – they shouldn't have been fighting. Plus, I'd seen Charlie hit someone before, and for a skinny guy he had a mean right hook. I didn't want Adam to get hurt.  
  
He shrugged me off, but as soon as I spoke and he heard my voice he backed away. I was glad when Orien arrived; I didn't like fighting, especially amongst people who used to be a team, used to be friends. As Adam skated off he looked back at me. His expression – I couldn't place it. Anger? Sadness? Hurt? Regret? Longing? Maybe a mixture of them all.  
  
After that, things went from bad to worse. Charlie and Fulton left the team. We were falling apart. I told Adam about it on Monday. He blamed himself – I told him he was stupid. It was Orien and his methods, it was Charlie and his pigheadedness, it was Fulton and his unwavering loyalty to Charlie.  
  
Nothing changed between Adam and I. It didn't make things worse – we stayed friends. We supported each other, we comforted each other, in our own little world. Secret friends.  
  
I'd thought things couldn't get worse, but they did. Hans died. I hadn't been there in Peewees, but I'd heard the stories. He'd helped Coach Bombay find himself, he'd helped to found the Ducks – he'd taught us to fly. It hit us all hard, but Charlie the hardest. Adam was gutted too – he told me afterwards that Hans had been there when he'd first joined the team, he'd been someone for him to confide in.  
  
The day after we decided to play street hockey. We all needed a release, we needed to have fun, forget our differences, and be a team again. I invited Adam. He said no. I told him Charlie wouldn't be there, and he agreed.  
  
We skated to the rec ground together. He was nervous, shaking, and when I took his hand in reassurance his palm was sweaty. The Ducks seemed apprehensive, but he was the same old Adam, and as soon as they understood that it was fine.  
  
We started to play, and were having a great time. Luis kept crashing into the fence, Goldberg kept falling over, Portman and Fulton were pretending to beat up Kenny, Averman kept trying to commentate on the game with Guy screaming, "shut up Averman!" at every opportunity, Dwayne had a rope. It was just like the old days.  
  
Then Coach Bombay and Charlie showed up.  
  
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Author's Note : Thanks for all the reviews guys! Keep going!  
  
Only one more chapter to go, so look out for it!  
  
Toodles! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer : I own zippo!  
  
Author's Note : Here we go folks. Last chapter!  
  
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I was scared witless about playing street hockey with the Ducks. I didn't know how they'd react. I mean, they hated me, didn't they? Julie told me it'd be OK and I believed her. I trusted her; I'd have done anything she said. Turned out she was right – I was still one of them. Same old Ducks, flying together.  
  
The Charlie arrived.  
  
He noticed me and gave a start, then attempted a smile. In surprise I smiled back. He joined in the game, we were playing together again. He even assisted on a goal I scored. The old first-line magic was back.  
  
As everyone began to disperse he pulled me to one side. He apologised. Charlie – Stubborn, hotheaded, headstrong Charlie – actually apologised for the way he'd acted. I forgave him instantly of course – I wanted things back how they were.  
  
He told me he wished we could be a team again, but the chance to play on Varsity was one not to be missed, and he wouldn't have a problem with it. We'd still be friends, and I could still hang out with the Ducks.  
  
But I didn't want to. I wanted to be a true member of a real team again. I wanted to fly.  
  
I wanted to Orien, and he said he was quite willing to have me back, and he'd talk to Coach Wilson. Before anything could happen, our scholarships came under threat. Coach Bombay saved us, and as we left the room Orien muttered, "welcome back."  
  
I was a Duck again.  
  
Riley came up and said his little piece, but he didn't scare me. I knew we could do it, I knew we could beat them. As a team we could do anything.  
  
We trained. And we trained. And we trained some more. I've never worked harder in my entire life. But I'd never been happier either. We won Orien over – he became one of us, he adapted to the way of the Duck. When he pulled out the Ducks jerseys I almost cried. We were all Ducks again, and we had the shirts to prove it.  
  
The day of the game dawned, and I think we were even more nervous than we had been before the Iceland match. I kissed Julie on the cheek before we took to the ice, and wished her luck. She seemed surprised. I didn't blame her – I was surprised at myself.  
  
The game itself was so tense. I've never played that hard in my life. When it went to 5 on 3 I was terrified, but knew we'd never give up. Especially with Charlie back where he belonged – as our Captain. When I got chosen to play I was shaking, the pressure was immense.  
  
I hate to think what it was like for Julie. Especially when she got caught out of her net. Without thinking, I leapt in front of the goal and deflected the shot. It hurt, but I didn't care. I'd have done anything to protect that net. To protect my team. To protect Julie.  
  
We won. I couldn't believe it. I'd never felt that good in my life. I can't even begin to imagine how Goldberg felt. He'd won us the game. Well, we all had. As a team. We were a team again.  
  
To go from complete ecstasy to abject misery is a pretty rare occurrence. But it happened to me. I turned round, and saw Scooter kiss Julie. She didn't seem to be complaining. My heart broke – I'd been planning on telling her how I felt after the game. But it was too late.  
  
I guess Dwayne is smarter than we give him credit for, because as I was leaving the ice he took my arm and said, "tell her how you feel. She wants you, not that Skitter guy." OK, so maybe not that smart. But his words hit home.  
  
I skated over to Julie. She looked at me, waiting for me to say something. I didn't – I couldn't. There were no words to describe how I felt. So I trusted my instincts. I leant forward, no hesitation, no asking, and kissed her right on the lips.  
  
I was freaking out about what her reaction would be, but I needn't have worried. When I pulled back, Julie – Julie the Cat – Julie the Cat Gaffney – melted. Seriously. She literally melted. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes all dreamy. When I asked her if she wanted to go out later she – get this – giggled. Yes, that's right, Julie the Cat Gaffney GIGGLED.  
  
We arranged to meet up after changing. As I went back to the locker room I was skating on air.  
  
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I'm so happy.  
  
I'm lying on the grass.  
  
I'm lying on the grass in the sunshine.  
  
I'm lying on the grass in the sunshine with Julie Gaffney in my arms.  
  
I feel like singing, but I'm too busy praising the Lord that Orien put me on Varsity.  
  
If he hadn't, I wouldn't be here with Julie.  
  
That guy is SO going to be best man at our wedding.  
  
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Author's Note : Well. That's it. The end!  
  
Thanks to – Meme Ann, CakeEater'sGirly99, banks'-gurl-99, anne918, AussieChic, Banksiesbabe99. beautyqueen321, sassy-4eva and the other people who have reviewed! Every single review was important to me, so thanks guys!  
  
I'm going to go now and leave Adam and Julie to sail off into the sunset.  
  
Don't you just love happy endings!! 


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Mighty Ducks, Romance